Tracy Baim

Tracy Baim is a Chicago-based LGBT journalist, editor, author, and filmmaker. She is also a former publisher of the Chicago Reader newspaper.

Biography
Baim attained a journalism degree from Drake University in the field of news-editorialism in 1984.

Career
Windy City Times was founded in 1985 by Baim and others, who started Sentury Publications to publish the paper. where she is the publisher and executive editor.

Baim came to the Chicago Reader in 2018 and planned to leave by the end of 2022.

Awards and honors

 * 1994: Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame Inductee.
 * 1994: Chicago Torch Award winner. Given by the Human Rights Campaign Fund.
 * 1995: Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 leader.
 * 2005: Community Media Workshop’s Studs Terkel Award.
 * 2012: Top 10 selection from the GLBT Round Table of the American Library Association. For Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America.
 * 2013: Lifetime Achievement Award. From the Chicago Headline Club at the 37th annual Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism.
 * 2014: Fueling the Frontlines Awards honoree.
 * 2014: Association of LGBTI Journalists Hall of Fame Inductee.

Baim was also a finalist for a 2012 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers.

Journalism

 * GayLife. Editorial Assistant.
 * Windy City Times. Co-founder 1985. Owner, publisher, writer, photographer.
 * Outlines newspaper. Co-founded 1987.
 * Huffpost. Contributor.
 * Chicago Reader. Publisher 2018. Co-publisher –present.

Books

 * Obama and the Gays: A Political Marriage. 2010.
 * Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America. 2012.
 * Out and Proud in Chicago. (2008) Related, see the Chicago Gay History website.
 * Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer.
 * Vernita Gray: From Woodstock to the White House. 2014. Co-author Owen Keehan.
 * Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow.
 * The Half Life of Sgt. Jen Hunter.

Films

 * Hannah Free. 2008, Ripe Fruit Films.
 * Scrooge & Marley, a Gay Christmas Carol. 2012.

Other projects

 * That's So Gay. LGBT history trivia game.
 * Pride Action Tank. Co-founder.
 * Chicago Independent Media Alliance. Fundraising organization for community media. 2020.
 * Gay Games VII. Co-vice chair.
 * March on Springfield for Marriage Equality. Founded 2013.